Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was non-committal as to whether or not the government would support a Nationalist Party motion to rescind the Gieh ir-Repubblika awarded to Tony Zarb, simply telling The Malta Independent that it is not the language he would use or support. 

Pressed further on his opinion regarding the motion,  Muscat, who was speaking after the GWU's Congress, said the government's opinion will be clear in parliament.

"It is not the language I would use., I think our position will be made clear when we discuss it and present it in parliament," Muscat explained. 

Earlier, GWU President Victor Carachi launched a strong defence of Zarb, telling proponents of the removal to "keep [their] hands off Tony Zarb", denouncing what he described as a 'fascist mentality."

On Monday, the PN presented a parliamentary motion calling for the removal of the Gieh ir-Repubblika award that had been awarded to Zarb after comments the latter made on slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Zarb had previously landed in hot water over comments he made regarding protestors who set up outside Castile square.